Koenigsegg Exclusivity Will Drop as the Brand Aims to Taken on Ferrari in the Next Decade

An entry-level supercar that costs $1 million will drive this production growth

The days of Koenigsegg holding court as one of the most exclusive automakers in the world could come to an end soon. A report from Bloomberg revealed that the Swedish automaker plans to boost its output of performance cars to hundreds of models per year by 2022. Making up most of this increased output is a new “entry-level” supercar that Koenigsegg promises will feature an engine that has better acceleration and efficiency. This yet-to-be-identified model will command a price of $1 million per unit. The goal, according to company boss Christian von Koenigsegg, is to put the company in equal footing with the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini.

Read More:

More Koenigseggs Means Turbulent Wanters for Ferrari and Lamborghini

This is big news. No, it’s huge news. It’s one thing to live in a world where a Koenigsegg sighting is tantamount to a unicorn sighting. Imagine, then, a boom in the unicorn population. Ok, I know, unicorns don’t exist, but you get the point. We don’t get to see a lot of Koenigseggs on the road, and when we do, it’s rare to see another one in short order. That could change soon if Koenigsegg’s plan to boost production to hundreds of models by 2022 succeeds.

That plan was bared by no less than Koenigsegg founder and CEO Christian von Koenigsegg, who told Bloomberg of the company’s ambitious goal for the next three years. This isn’t just a matter of Koenigsegg doubling, or even tripling production. If that was the case, we’d be seeing 30 or 40 Koenigsegg models produced per year.

Nope. Koenigsegg wants more. It wants yearly production to hit “hundreds” of models by 2022.

Granted, hundreds could mean 100 or 900 models, but I’m not going to let the semantics of it get in the way of the bigger point of Koenigsegg deciding that it’s ready to step into the world of Ferrari and Lamborghini and compete against them.

Von Koenigsegg didn’t bare details of the company’s plans, but he did say that the goal to produce hundreds of models per year is tied into plans to introduce an entry-level supercar that will serve as the company’s production workhorse.

The proposed model will feature a hybrid V-8 engine that produces 1,050 horsepower. It’ll also cost around $1 million, which, if you think about it, barely counts as an “entry-level” model.

But that’s what it is in Koenigsegg’s world, and who are we to say otherwise?

It’s become increasingly difficult to dismiss Koenigsegg’s ambitions because the company has made fools of naysayers time and time again since it burst into the scene back in 2004. Nobody thought Koenigsegg could build a hand-made supercar because the cost of building one would go through the roof. That was proven wrong. Critics then dismissed the thought of Koenigsegg establishing an identity as one of the most exclusive supercar brands in the world. That was proven wrong, too. Even Koenigsegg’s claim that it would one day hold the top speed record among production cars was dismissed, at least until the Agera RS showed up and made a lot of people eat crow.

So, yes, I’m done underestimating Koenigsegg. If it thinks that it can reach its goal of producing hundreds of models per year by 2022, then, by all means, go get that bacon. It’s not like the company’s short on resources these days. remember, Koenigsegg is only a month removed from inking a $320-million deal with National Electric Vehicle Sweden, AB, a Chinese-controlled company that bought the assets of Saab out of bankruptcy back in 2012. This partnership will be the driving force in the development of the proposed entry-level supercar. As it is, there are already plans to start development of the model in 2021 at an old Saab production facility in Sweden. It’s empty now, but when it was bustling with activity, that facility had space for 8,000 employees, all of whom played roles in producing up to 200,000 models per year.

As far as the model itself is concerned, Koenigsegg already revealed its place within the pecking order and the potential cost of owning one. He refused to reveal more details, saying that, “if I tell you one small thing, it means I tell you everything.” That’s basically a code for “let your imaginations run wild.” He did add that the model is already in development, as it has been for the two years.

It will also feature a state-of-the-art engine that allows independent control of the intake and exhaust valves, which, in turn, delivers faster acceleration, up to 50 percent more torque than conventional engines, and cut fuel consumption and emissions.

It can also be started on pure alcohol, thus making CO2 emissions irrelevant. In some ways, this engine could redefine supercar powertrains in the future. That’s not lost on von Koenigsegg, who says that, if the engine technology works, the company will introduce it to other future models. He also aims to license the engine to other manufacturers.

It’s only been 15 years since Koenigsegg was created, and it’s come a long way in the auto industry. The fact that it has reached this point in the company’s life is a testament to the ingenuity of its founder and the relentless pursuit to achieve every goal it has set. With its track record, do we assume that this new plan to roll out hundreds of new models by 2020 would have a different outcome? I’m not one to bet against Koenigsegg anymore, and I can vouch that being on the side that thinks Koenigsegg can accomplish its goals has been a far more rewarding experience than being on the other side of the fence.